We should be proud ....

CP Gull · Post by **CP Gull** » 21 Apr 2018, 19:46

....... of the support we have given to this football club over the last SIX years!

WE have had to put up with an awful lot. We have been BADLY let down by the owners, the management and the players over this period and yet the support throughout (considering) has been superb.

As a fan base, we deserve so, so much better, but we have been let down badly by all of those who represent the club both on and off the pitch.

The numbers that have continued to turn up, both home and away, have been in my opinion VERY impressive .... considering the rubbish we have had to endure. But that said, I would forgive anyone who has got to the stage now where they have had enough and it is inevitable that the support will now dip to levels that we would have thought unimaginable just a few years ago - but who can blame anyone ...we are about to drop into what we would refer to as a “pub league” in recent times. Sad but true.

As for the owner, well what can you say ......... hasn’t, to the best of my knowledge, even bothered to turn up to a single match (home or away) ALL SEASON. Shows how much he “cares” but this is where we are ...... thanks to the previous fans based board who gave the club away.

The fans have been brilliant throughout this awful period but we should be proud ...... we have just been so badly let down.

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 21 Apr 2018, 19:51

I know it’s called the National League South , but for a child of the 60's, it still remains regional football.
It will take me a couple of weeks to process the fact that my club won’t be in the Conference (sorry National) League next season.

Relegation to the Regional football feels like a game of Football Manager that has gone badly awry, only to realise you’ve forgotten to save the game and your last reboot would take you back two years – the kicker being that this is actually real life.

It’s realising that if you thought it a struggle to get your mates to come to a game on a Saturday afternoon was hard before, it’s now about to get nigh on impossible.

It’s having to Google where the hell East Thurrock, Concord and Chippenham are in the country.

It’s scrolling and tapping through your phone’s football app to try and discover where the Regional football results page might be lurking, and realising it’s sitting between the Egyptian Premier League and Equatorial Guinea’s Primera Division tabs.

It’s being unable to stop your brain screaming ‘VANARAMA, VANARAMA, VANARAMA THEY’RE THE ONES YOU NEED TO CALL’ whenever you see the ‘Vanarama National League South’ written down.

It’s knowing you can’t do anything about it, no matter how many times you told yourself that you could probably do a better job than some of the totally incompetent managers the club has employed in the past years. I stand by the claim I could tactically out-think Knill, Hargreaves, Nicholson and Owers.

But it’s also knowing something could have actually done about it . Yet a club with a long tradition has been run into the ground this season by a man who, in some sort of record, hasn’t been mentioned yet in this piece – simply because Clarke Osborne has absolutely no place in football.

Finally, it’s knowing that once the period of depression and acceptance is over, you’ll be back there next season in the stands. Of course you will. Torquay United are in the gutter right now, but you have always kept the faith ... that one day.. maybe just one day...

IanGull01 · Post by **IanGull01** » 21 Apr 2018, 19:51

Well said CP Gull, couldn’t have put it better myself. Very sad day. Been going with my Dad since I was 7 when he took me to my 1st game against Brighton and I’ve been ever since. Absolutely gutted tonight!!

Teigngull · Post by **Teigngull** » 21 Apr 2018, 20:04

Yes we should be very proud of ourselves most definitely.
However, the following, in equal stature, should hang their heads in shame for the amateurish way they have let us supporters & the good name of Torquay down...
Clarke Osborne
Dave Hedges
Geoff Harrop
Gary Owers
Martin Khul
Robbie Herrera
Kevin Nicholson
The ENTIRE playing squad 2017/18, and yes that does include the untouchables within that squad.
Quite simply the named above have been an absolute disgrace to their profession & should go away & take a good hard look at themselves in the mirror.

Post by **SuperNickyWroe** » 21 Apr 2018, 20:11

so sure hes posted it twice.

gateman49 · Post by **gateman49** » 21 Apr 2018, 20:12

Well put by both CP and Mellow,

To add just two items to the list on a day when I have a hollow feeling in the pit of my stomach:

It’s not being able to get updates on away matches on the BBC sports page.

It’s about questioning whether we are ‘UNITED’ anymore.

I’ve been a fan since my maternal grandfather (who played for Torquay United) started me off in the mid ‘50’s and I thought that I’d seen it all but no. Not only that but I also suspect that there is more misery to come as well.

desperado · Post by **desperado** » 21 Apr 2018, 20:30

Yes agree with all that CP , its incredible that it has been six years of rubbish yet the gates have held up
remarkably. As a child of the sixties Mellow should know where Chippenham is ! our bloody reserves
used to play them in the Western League, along with Weston s Mare and Bath . There will be quite a few teams
within 150 miles. I see Hungerford got 264 today ! A full time team team with a decent manager, the pressure
will be on Mr O , should be able to make at least the play offs

gateman49 · Post by **gateman49** » 21 Apr 2018, 20:37

No,we’ll be the whipping boys for every team in that league, they’ll be up for it like there’s no tomorrow (which I feel is for me at the moment)

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 21 Apr 2018, 20:48

desperado wrote: ↑21 Apr 2018, 20:30 Yes agree with all that CP , its incredible that it has been six years of rubbish yet the gates have held up
remarkably. As a child of the sixties Mellow should know where Chippenham is ! our bloody reserves
used to play them in the Western League, along with Weston s Mare and Bath . There will be quite a few teams
within 150 miles. I see Hungerford got 264 today ! A full time team team with a decent manager, the pressure
will be on Mr O , should be able to make at least the play offs

At my age I cant even remember what I had for breakfast this morning let alone Western Leagues teams 50 years ago.

What I do remember was the 1959/60 season was an amazing one.

The first team won promotion.

The reserves did the double being champions of the Western League and winning the Western League Cup.

Even our A team (yes we had one then) did the South Devon League and Devon Senior Cup double.

None of todays first team players would have made the reserve team and would have been hard pressed to be selected for the A team.

westyorkshiregull · Post by **westyorkshiregull** » 21 Apr 2018, 20:50

Glory days yellow. It's hard to think the Webb days were the worst now

desperado · Post by **desperado** » 21 Apr 2018, 20:50

Thats very true Gateman, I am getting depressed already

Teigngull · Post by **Teigngull** » 21 Apr 2018, 21:03

westyorkshiregull wrote: ↑21 Apr 2018, 20:50 Glory days yellow. It's hard to think the Webb days were the worst now

Or even the Roberts debacle !

gateman49 · Post by **gateman49** » 21 Apr 2018, 21:13

Now you’ve got me going, Mellow, didn’t we beat Gillingham at home 2 - 0 to confirm promotion one balmy Spring day?

Ah, nostalgia, that’ll help me through the night. They can’t take away my memories (I think), so I’ll slowly slip into reverie. sod reality, it hurts too much.

nickbrod · Post by **nickbrod** » 21 Apr 2018, 21:14

Yes it's certainly very sad and not what anybody wanted but it is what it is. I'm sure I'm in the minority, but I'm 'happy' to let Gary Owers turn this around.
We know Clarke Osborne is going to continue funding the club for another five years, he's keeping Owers who has already begun building a new (his) squad so I'm keeping my feelings in check until I know what calibre of squad is assembled for next season. At the moment nobody can complain on the current squad's form record.
Teams going into a new season on the back of decent form, as we are, helps to promote a promotion push. We look as if we go into National South as a positive side. After 53 years I'm still supporting MY club.

MellowYellow · Post by **MellowYellow** » 21 Apr 2018, 21:16

desperado wrote: ↑21 Apr 2018, 20:30 Yes agree with all that CP , its incredible that it has been six years of rubbish yet the gates have held up
remarkably... I see Hungerford got 264 today !

I also see Hungerford sent a letter of apology to Truro FC on Tues for an allegation of foul language, possibly from one of their players, when Truro took a penalty. Internal disciplinary action is pending on the said player. Whilst I dont condone it, we better start writing our letters of apologies now, if regional football teams are offended by foul language

Torquay United Fans Forum